Orange Almond Cake (Torte)

With a delicate orange flavor and tender texture, this single layer orange almond cake is easy to make. Instead of frosting try a light dusting of powered sugar to finish. Orange flavored whipped cream or coconut cream would be good too. To save time make it a day ahead.

Orange Almond Cake (or Torte)

Its is easy to forget that citrus is really a winter crop. With friends coming for dinner who love cake for dessert and my navel orange tree full of fruit, I turned to an old favorite recipe – Orange Almond Torte. The original recipe is from an old issue of Bon Appetit. I can’t believe I’ve been making it for so many years.

What is a Torte?

A torte is like a cake except it is made with a combination of ground nuts and little to no flour. Most traditional cake recipes use all flour. Tortes are often rich cakes layered with whipped cream, buttercream frosting or even jam. I've kept this one simple without sugary frosting or layers to deal with. It's beautiful all by itself. It is not overly sweet or rich and is a nice way to end dinner.

Try it for a holiday breakfast served with fresh orange segments, like a coffee cake. The original recipe has a a terrific orange sauce. Check out the recipe here.

Orange Almond Cake Ingredients

To reduce the sugar, use half granular stevia and half natural organic sugar, so 6 tablespoons of sugar and 3 tablespoons of granular stevia because stevia is much sweeter than sugar. Other options include monk fruit blend. For a good gluten-free flour blend try Bobs Red Mill. I grind my almonds in a food processor, although I’ve used what is called almond flour which are pure, finely ground almonds.

For your shopping list:

• Raw almonds 6 ounces, ground
• Unsalted butter
• Natural granulated sugar or monk fruit blend
• Eggs
• Gluten-free flour blend
• Oranges for zest and juice
• Ground coriander
• Sea salt

Almond Cake Tool Tips

Hand mixer: As this recipe is for a single layer cake, the recipe makes a smaller amount of batter than a traditional double layer cake recipe so it is easily made with a hand mixer.

Springform pan: You will need an 8″ springform pan. Springform pans make a nice addition to your kitchen tool collection. Get one that seals tight with the bottom. Once baked and cooled, release the spring and cakes are easy to remove. Find them at cooking stores and place like Bed Bath and Beyond. Here is one on Amazon.

Parchment paper: Purchase backing parchment in any grocery store. Find it in the aisle next to the foil and plastic film. That is the heavier style. You can also buy pre-cut rounds and sheets of lighter weight parchment paper at cooking stores and online. Either work for this recipe.

Fine sieve: For dusting the finished cake with powdered sugar, use a small, fine mesh sieve. Place the sugar in the sieve and shake it across the top of the cake. You can hit it against the side of your hand to get it to sprinkle.

📖 Recipe

Orange Almond Torte

Sally Cameron

Lightly sweet and fragrant with fresh orange, this orange almond torte is adapted from Bon Appétit Magazine. Use an all purpose gluten-free flour blend such as Bobs Red Mill.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 8

Calories 283 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  8" springform pan
• ▢
  Baking parchment
• ▢
  Food processor (to grind almonds) or use almond meal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 cup raw almonds (6 ounces) or almond meal
• ▢ ½ cup + 1 T unsalted butter at room temperature
• ▢ ¾ cup monk fruit blend or natural granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ 2 large egg yolks
• ▢ ½ cup + 1 T gluten-free flour blend
• ▢ 2 tablespoons orange juice fresh squeezed
• ▢ 1 tablespoon orange zest
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ▢ 1 pinch sea salt
• ▢ 2 large egg whites at room temperature

Optional Garnish

• ▢ Powdered sugar for top of cake

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter an 8-inch springform pan. Cut a circle of parchment (or use a pre-cut round) to fit inside and line the bottom of pan. Butter parchment; dust with flour.
• Beat ½ cup butter in a large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until blended. Add egg, then yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. At low speed, beat in almonds, flour, orange juice, zest, coriander and salt, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally.
• Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in medium bowl until stiff but not dry. Stiff whites will hold a tip straight up when you turn your beaters upside down. Gently fold whites into batter in 2 additions with a flexible spatula. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
• Bake cake until top is golden and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. To be safe, check early as ovens vary. Cool cake in pan on rack. When cool release the spring and remove the cake from the pan.

Notes

To reduce sugar, use 6 tablespoons of natural organic sugar and 3 tablespoons of granular stevia or substitute with a monk fruit/erythritol blend per the package directions.

Nutrition

Calories: 283kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 8gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 101mgSodium: 31mgPotassium: 173mgFiber: 4gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 476IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 72mgIron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!